NDSU Volleyball Travels to Ellesyn Invitational

THIS WEEK
The North Dakota State (3-0) volleyball team is set for its first road trip of the 2025 season in Missoula, Mont., for the Ellesyn Invitational. The Bison will face Oakland (0-3) on Friday at 6:00 p.m. CT before wrapping the weekend against Montana (0-3) on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. CT
 
MATCH COVERAGE
GoBison.com: Both matches will feature live statistics and will be streamed on ESPN+ for subscribers. Links to live stats, live video and audio can be found at GoBison.com/coverage.
 
THE SERIES VS. OAKLAND
This will be the first meeting between NDSU and Oakland since 2012 with the Bison leading the all-time series, 12-2. The two teams were conference opponents in the Summit League for seven seasons from 2007-12 before the Golden Grizzlies joined the Horizon League. In their most recent meeting in 2012, Oakland topped NDSU, 3-1, in Fargo.
 
THE SERIES VS. MONTANA
This will be the sixth all-time meeting between NDSU and Montana dating back to 2005. The Bison have won the last four meetings and lead the series, 4-1. In their most recent encounter last season, Baily Randall totaled a career-high 16 kills to power the Bison to a 3-1 win over the Griz in Fargo.
 
OFF TO A SOLID START
The Bison opened the season with a 3-0 start for the third time in the last four seasons. NDSU hasn’t started the season 4-0 since the 2023 season.
 
BRING OUT THE BROOMS
The Bison started the season with back-to-back sweeps after topping Bowling Green, 3-0, and Temple, 3-0. It marked the first time since 2011 that NDSU opened the season with back-to-back sweeps.
 
BISON DEBUT
Cathy Porter, Rya Borer, Zoe John and Sadie Johnson all made their Bison debut last week. Borer started all three matches and totaled a team-high 32 digs. Porter ranked second on the team with 43 assists, while John posted 20 kills coming off the bench.
 
SUMMIT LEAGUE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Senior middle blocker Ally Barth and junior outside hitter Lauren Jansen were selected to the Summit League Players to Watch list. Barth has posted 190 blocks over the last two seasons and has tallied 389 kills. Jansen has tallied 371 kills and is averaging 2.41 kills per set over two seasons. The Plainfield, Ill., native has also contributed 49 service aces, including a career-best and team-high 34 last season.
 
SUMMIT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
The Bison were picked to finish sixth in the Summit League Preseason Coaches’ Poll and garnered 32 points. South Dakota State earned the top spot with 62 points and six first place votes.
 
LOCKED IN FROM THE SERVICE LINE
NDSU was one of the most effective teams in the Summit League at the service line last season after leading the league with 1.65 service aces per set. The Bison reached double digits in six matches , including 16 at St. Thomas on Oct. 24, 2024. That total ranked as the most aces in the NDSU Division I era and second-most all-time in a five-set match. Lauren Jansen led the Summit League and ranked 46th in the nation with 0.45 aces per set last season.
 
RUNNING THE OFFENSE
The Bison return 61.9 percent of their assist production from last season after Maddy Dombeck and Emily Bruss combined for 692 assists in their freshman season. Dombeck handed out a team-best 464 assists over 26 matches last season, while Bruss added 228 over 18 matches.
 
EXPERIENCE IN THE LINEUP
NDSU returns seven starters from last season: Baily Randall, Arianna Blohm, Maddy Dombeck, Emma Tallman, Lauren Jansen, Emily Bruss and Ally Barth. Barth leads the team with 71 matches played over three seasons, while Blohm has appeared in 58 matches over two seasons.
 
PORTAL ADDITIONS
The Bison added three players in the offseason through the transfer portal. Cathy Porter joined the Bison after two seasons at Hillsborough Community College and totaled 550 assists over 43 matches. Abi Banitt joined the Bison after two seasons at SIUE. She posted a team-high 355 digs in her freshman season, which ranked ninth in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). Zoe John joined the Bison after one season at Pacific and appeared in 23 matches with 96 kills.
 
YOUNG BISON
The Bison have six newcomers on the roster this season, including three true freshmen: Natasha Kidd, Abby Carpenter and Rya Borer. The roster is constructed of 56 percent underclassman with three freshman, one redshirt freshman (Sadie Johnson) and five sophomores (Tanith Roush, Maddy Dombeck, Layla Haritatos, Emily Bruss and Zoe John).
 
LOOKING BACK AT THE 2024 SEASON
The Bison posted a 12-14 (8-8 Summit) overall record last season. NDSU made its third straight appearance in the Summit League Championship before falling short against Denver in the first round. It marked the first time in three seasons that the Bison didn’t advance to at least the semifinal round.
 
BIG SHOES TO FILL
NDSU has been working to replace two of the most successful players in program history each of the last two seasons. Kelley Johnson wrapped up her career in 2023 and finished with the most assists in the NDSU Division I era with 4,019, which ranked sixth all-time in Bison history. She was a two-time Summit League Setter of the Year and two-time All-Summit League First Team selection. Ali Hinze finished her career last season and totaled the most kills in the NDSU Division I era with 1,767, which ranked fifth in Bison history. Hinze earned All-Summit League honors all five seasons, including being named to the first team in 2022 and 2023.
 
THIS IS OUR HOUSE
The Bison have called Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse home since 1978 and have notched a 420-112 overall record at home during that span. NDSU picked up its 400th win at the BBF after sweeping Kansas City, 3-0, on Oct. 1, 2022.
 
TAKIN’ CARE OF BUSINESS IN THE CLASSROOM
NDSU earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 13th straight year in 2024-25. The award recognizes collegiate and high school programs across the country that maintained a year-long grade-point average of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale. The Bison registered a 3.63 cumulative GPA last season.
 
UP NEXT
NDSU will be back in action hosting Idaho on Thursday, Sept. 11. First serve is set for 7:00 p.m., at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.